To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of psycho-educational therapies in the treatment of those diagnosed with schizophrenia. (276713)

The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published updated clinical guidance on schizophrenia in March, which identifies no new robust evidence for the effectiveness of psycho-education on any critical outcomes. NICE has not, therefore, recommended psycho-education for treating schizophrenia.

This guidance is available online from NICE at:

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/CG82/Guidance/pdf/English